Head movement direction in football - a field study on visual scanning activity during the UEFA-U17 and -U21 European Championship 2019.

Visual exploration (scanning) of one's environment is a key aspect in team sports. Based on Gibson's (1979) ecological approach of visual perception, this study aims to advance the understanding of scanning by focusing on the direction of head movements in football and its implications for subsequent on-ball actions. The video-based data analysis consisted of nine selected matches and 162 players of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) U17 and U21 European Championship 2019. The results indicate that the direction of the last scan prior to receiving the ball is related to the foot used for the first ball contact. This relationship was further analysed in view of the game context (direction of play and opponent pressure) and with information about the player's dominant foot. The findings reveal a relationship between the direction of the last scan before receiving the ball and the direction the game is proceeded in. Further, when a player performs the last scan to the side of their dominant foot, the probability increases that their dominant foot is used for the subsequent first ball contact. Depending on the direction of the last scan, opponent pressure had various effects on the foot used for the first contact.

Modeling Players' Scanning Activity in Football.

The purpose of this study was to develop and test models of scanning activity in football. Gibson's ecological approach of visual perception and exploratory activity provided the theoretical framework for the models. The video-based data analysis consisted of 17 selected matches and 239 players of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) U17 and U19 European Championship 2018 and the UEFA U17 and U21 European Championship 2019. The results showed a positive relation between scanning frequency and successful passes, as well as changes in body orientation. Scanning frequency was also related to a player's appearances in national teams and to opponent pressure. Opponent pressure had a large effect on pass result and the player's body orientation. Previous research on the relation between scanning frequency and performance was extended by several contextual predictors. Future research should focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the relation between scanning frequency and further contextual variables related to scanning.

Scanning activity in elite youth football players.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the scanning behaviour of elite youth football players across different playing positions and age groups during high-level matches. Data was obtained by filming the 2018 UEFA European U17 and U19 Championship semi-finals and finals. A total of 53 outfield players from the four teams that reached the finals were analysed in both their respective semi-final and final matches, resulting in a total of 1686 attacking play situations. Ecological psychology provided us with the theoretical rationale for the study and informed our research hypotheses and interpretations. We found that U19 players performed more scans than U17 players. A positive relationship between scan frequency and pass success was also found. The results further suggest that opponent pressure and pitch position are both critical contextual factors that may influence scanning behaviour. In addition, central midfielders and central defenders were found to have higher scan frequencies than players in other positions. Our results support and extend previous research, suggesting that playing positions and age groups are important factors that impact visual perception and specifically scanning in football. Potential implications for coaches and recommendations for future studies are discussed.